As the early settlers in some of North & West Melbourne’s Streets were mainly Scots, these streets received Scottish names. Hence Abbotsford Street after the home of Sir Walter Scott built by the river Tweed.
The original name of that place was “Cartley Hole.” The locals twisted this to “Clarty Hole”, meaning “Dirty Hole”. This showed what they thought of the place — a little farm house in 100 acres sprawling sour and neglected in a hollow by the river.
The place was dear to Scott as the site of the last clan battle between his forbears and the Kers in 1526 and as the reputed haunt of Thomas the Rhymer who, 60 years before, had woven into verse the legends and histories of the land, as Scott was to do in his day. So in 1811, at the age of 40, Scott bought the place.
Scott set himself to transform the place and began by renaming it. There had been an abbots’ ford across the shallows of the river, over which the Abbots of nearby Melrose Abbey had driven their cattle centuries before. Hence the new name.
In five years, the 100 acre “Dirty Hole” became an estate of 1000 acres. By banking the river, planting trees of many kinds, and general landscaping Scott created a most colorful scene. Piece by piece, at heavy expense, the present house was built.
By every artistic and architectural standard the house is a monstrosity; but Scott’s life and work have made it one of Scotlands great shrines. It is a museum of Scottish lore with relics of Rob Roy, Flora Macdonald, Queen Mary, Montrose, Claverhouse and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Also housed there is a copy of the first published book of Australian verse. (1)
Source.
(1) Northern Advertiser 28/5/1970. Blanchard collection, “What’s in a Name” at North Melbourne Library.
(2) Melbourne Council Street Card Number #367, street gazetted in 1860 and 1867.
Previous Address 6 Heaton Terrace (3-13)
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Previous Address 5 Heaton Terrace (3-13)
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Constructed 20/8/1885
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder William French, Adderley Street West Melbourne
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder William French, Adderley Street West Melbourne
Previous Address 4 Heaton Terrace (3-13)
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Previous Address 3 Heaton Terrace (3-13)
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Previous Address 2 Heaton Terrace (3-13)
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Previous Address 1 Heaton Terrace (3-13)
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Constructed 13/10/1880
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Greenwood
Constructed 13/12/1871
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Joseph Over
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Joseph Over
Also known as Address Luckman’s Terraces (36 & 38)
Constructed 26/10/1869
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Joseph Luckman
Constructed 26/10/1869
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Joseph Luckman
Also known as Address Luckman’s Terraces (36 & 38)
Constructed 26/10/1869
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Joseph Luckman
Constructed 26/10/1869
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Joseph Luckman
Also known as Address 40 to 44 Abbotsford Street
Constructed 11/5/1910
Style Federation: 1890–1915
Builder John Shutt, 16 Kelvin Grv Hawthorn
Constructed 11/5/1910
Style Federation: 1890–1915
Builder John Shutt, 16 Kelvin Grv Hawthorn
Also known as Address Patterson’s row house
Constructed Novenmber 1891
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Saunders, 44 Neptune St Richmond
Constructed Novenmber 1891
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Saunders, 44 Neptune St Richmond
Also known as Address Patterson’s row house
Constructed Novenmber 1891
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Saunders, 44 Neptune St Richmond
Constructed Novenmber 1891
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder John Saunders, 44 Neptune St Richmond
Also known as Address Rogerson’s house
Constructed 7/5/1860
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder George Black
Constructed 7/5/1860
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder George Black
Also known as Address Lockhead’s house
Previous Address First known as 52, now known as 54 Abbotsford Street.
Constructed 21/9/1859
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder J Lockheard
Previous Address First known as 52, now known as 54 Abbotsford Street.
Constructed 21/9/1859
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder J Lockheard
Also known as Address Boland’s row house
Constructed 6/2/1860
Builder Edmund Boling, Melbourne
Constructed 6/2/1860
Builder Edmund Boling, Melbourne
Constructed abt 1916
Style Federation: 1890–1915
Style Federation: 1890–1915
Also known as Address Ramage’s row house
Constructed 5/7/1864
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder William Ramage, Melbourne
Constructed 5/7/1864
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder William Ramage, Melbourne
Also known as Address Lander’s row house
Constructed 17/10/1860
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder William Lander
Constructed 17/10/1860
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder William Lander
Also known as Address Ramage’s row house
Constructed 9/4/1859
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder Charles & Duffy, Melbourne
Constructed 9/4/1859
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder Charles & Duffy, Melbourne
Also known as Address Ramage’s row house
Constructed 6/6/1864
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder John Ramage, Melbourne
Constructed 6/6/1864
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder John Ramage, Melbourne
Also known as Address O’Brien’s row house
Constructed 18/10/1865
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder John O’Brien
Constructed 18/10/1865
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder John O’Brien
Also known as Address Hamilton’s Row house
Constructed 8/3/1862
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Walter Webster
Constructed 8/3/1862
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Walter Webster
Also known as Address O’Brien’s row house
Constructed 9/2/1866
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder John O’Brien
Constructed 9/2/1866
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder John O’Brien
Also known as Address Hamilton’s Row house
Constructed 4/4/1866
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Walter Webster
Constructed 4/4/1866
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Walter Webster
Also known as Address Kilfoy’s row house
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Also known as Address MaKenzie’s Row house
Constructed 11/3/1865
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Walter Webster
Constructed 11/3/1865
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Walter Webster
Also known as Address Kilfoy’s row house
Constructed 13/10/1871
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder James Kilfoy
Constructed 13/10/1871
Style Victorian, Late: 1875-1901
Builder James Kilfoy
Also known as Address Kilfoy’s row house
Constructed 6/3/1873
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder James Kilfoy
Constructed 6/3/1873
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder James Kilfoy
Also known as Address Bentley’s row house
Constructed 19/8/1859
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder Robert Bentley, Dudley Street West Melbourne
Constructed 19/8/1859
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder Robert Bentley, Dudley Street West Melbourne
Also known as Address Smith’s row house
Constructed 13/11/1860
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder Thomas Smith
Constructed 13/11/1860
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder Thomas Smith
Also known as Address Gould’s row house
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Also known as Address Ogilvy’s row house
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Also known as Address Brotherton row house
Constructed 22/8/1860
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder Robert Brotherton
Constructed 22/8/1860
Style Victorian, Early : 1840-1860
Builder Robert Brotherton
Also known as Address Watson’s row house
Constructed 12/3/1869
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Reid, Stewart & Duguid, 10 Miller St
Constructed 12/3/1869
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder Reid, Stewart & Duguid, 10 Miller St
Also known as Address Watson’s row house
Constructed 19/1/1863
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder William Watson
Constructed 19/1/1863
Style Victorian, Mid: 1860-1875
Builder William Watson
Also known as Address The North Star Hotel [9] first licensed in Howard Street 1853-1859, relocated on the present Abbotsford Street site 1859-2003,
Also known as Address Hilliside
Previous Address 195 Abbotsford Street before street renumbering
Previous Address 195 Abbotsford Street before street renumbering
Previous Address 197 Abbotsford Street (before Council street renumbering)
Also known as Address SW corner Abbotsford and Canning Streets
Previous Address Homebush Hotel
Previous Address Homebush Hotel
Also known as Address Slefton
Previous Address 237 Abbotsford Street before council street re numbering
Constructed 18/6/1906
Style Federation: 1890–1915
Builder Joseph Diamond – 90 Brunswick Rd Brunswick
Previous Address 237 Abbotsford Street before council street re numbering
Constructed 18/6/1906
Style Federation: 1890–1915
Builder Joseph Diamond – 90 Brunswick Rd Brunswick
Also known as Address Valetta
Previous Address 239 Abbotsford Street before council street re numbering
Constructed 18/6/1906
Style Federation: 1890–1915
Builder Joseph Diamond – 90 Brunswick Rd Brunswick
Previous Address 239 Abbotsford Street before council street re numbering
Constructed 18/6/1906
Style Federation: 1890–1915
Builder Joseph Diamond – 90 Brunswick Rd Brunswick
Also known as Address Avon
Constructed between 1905-1910
Constructed between 1905-1910
Also known as Address Glendalough Terrace
Also known as Address North Melbourne Maternal and Child Health Centre